BOONE, N.C. — Faculty and staff within Appalachian State University’s Department of Health and Exercise Science, along with a University of North Carolina System colleague at North Carolina State University, received $130,492 in funding from the Reoxcyn Discoveries Group Inc. to determine if a 45-minute walk has the same effect as running for individuals whose diets are high in flavonoids.

The research team for the project consists of Dr. David Nieman, professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Health and Exercise Science; Dr. Colin Kay, associate professor of North Carolina State University’s Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science; Chris Capps, research technician within Appalachian’s Department of Health and Exercise Science; and Courtney Goodman and Jennifer McBride, both research scientists in Appalachian’s Department of Health and Exercise Science.

Nieman said a high intake, or more than 2.5 cups per day, of fruits and vegetables is recommended for good health and disease prevention.

“Many of the beneficial health effects related to a diet high in fruits and vegetables come from the purple, red, green, orange and other colorful pigment molecules called flavonoids,” he said.

According to Nieman, after consuming flavonoids, bacteria in the large intestine break them down into smaller molecules that can pass back into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body, producing healthful effects. He said participants in the project will consume a diet high in flavonoids for a total of two weeks prior to the study.

“Running improves the transfer of the small flavonoid molecules from the colon back into the body, and this study — for the first time — will determine if a 45-minute, brisk walk has a similar influence,” said Nieman.

Appalachian students will be involved with the project through internships.

About the Beaver College of Health Sciences

Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. The college enrolls more than 3,600 students and offers 10 undergraduate degree programs, nine graduate degree programs and four certificates across six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of Boone’s Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, UNC Health Appalachian and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.